Company cars are a significant employee perk. As such, you want to be sure that if you do decide to compensate your workers for their time in this way, that you’re making the right decision. It could take up a big chunk of your wage bill.
Finding the right company vehicles for the job can be a challenge, so what should you look out for when making a decision?
Look For Great Safety Features
According to Fountain Law Firm, more than 3,450 people were killed last year in the US because the driver was preoccupied. As a result, company bosses should look for vehicles with excellent safety features. Modern cars come with not only airbags and other impressive autonomous gizmos, but also the ability to warn drivers when the vehicle detects that they are not alert. Special cameras in some new cars can track driver gaze and tiredness levels, ensuring that they don’t become a victim of their own fatigue.
Stick With Low-Emission Vehicles
While it would be nice to give every employee in your firm a sports car, it still wouldn’t be a good idea, even if you personally could afford to do it. Why? Because sports cars cost a lot of money to run, insure, and maintain, and employees would probably be unwilling to foot the bill.
Low emission cars are a much better option. Not only do they frequently come with tax benefits, but they also guzzle less fuel, meaning that your employees get cost-effective transportation.
Plan For Electric Cars
Okay, so electric vehicles aren’t quite ready for company-car prime time yet, but it won’t be long. Tesla is already churning out more than 200,000 cars per year, and that should increase substantially once the company starts making the Model Y. What’s more, zero emissions cars from other manufacturers are beginning to improve.
Choose Cars That Suit Employee Lifestyles
Although small saloons and hatchbacks are traditional company car choices, it’s worth having a careful think about the types of cars that would most suit your employees. Sure, if they spend their time driving to work in city traffic, then something environmentally-friendly and cheap to run is probably the best option. But many employers don’t operate out of big cities and nor do their employees drive to work.
If you’re a rural employer, nothing is stopping you from incentivizing workers with 4x4s or pickups, giving them the freedom to go and do what they want at the weekend and on vacation.
Look For Business-Specific Car Models
Automakers know that businesses have different requirements for company cars than regular consumers and so can sometimes make changes to the factory spec of their vehicles which are not available in the regular market.
For instance, GM makes some of its cars with larger screens on their infotainment systems for business customers. Why? The car maker thinks that firms want their employers to have a better view of satellite navigation so, presumably, they can see where their next meeting is being held more easily. Options also include leather seats and steering wheels.